Protecting Our Birthing Choices

At Blooma, we support moms & families in whatever birth choices they make, and that speaks to one of our most-cherished beliefs: Women have the power, the privilege, and the responsibility of choice during pregnancy and birth. So this petition at Mothering magazine caught our attention, and we feel it deserves all of our support. Whether or not you personally would choose a homebirth, we hope you'll support the rights of women to choose how to bring their precious babes into the world. Here's the call to action from Mothering:

"Now is the time to support homebirths and professional midwives. Sign this petition to tell your representatives that you want to be in control of how and where you give birth ..."

The petition:
Whereas, women maintain the basic human rights of privacy, bodily integrity, and the rights to choose their care provider and place of birth;

Whereas, the practice of giving birth in hospitals attended by doctors has coincided with rapidly rising rates of cesarean section, induction, epidural, and surgically assisted vaginal birth;

Whereas, many of the physicians attending births in the hospital setting have contributed to the rise of the use of the aforementioned interventions, and have been unable or unwilling to change their training and practices to reverse these trends;

Whereas, the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' positions against home birth are not based on scientific evidence, but on the financial and professional concerns of the physicians that participate in their organizations;

Whereas, for the past century certain physicians have carried out campaigns to eradicate the practice of home birth to support their own professional gain;

Whereas, home birth with either a Certified Nurse Midwife or a Certified Professional Midwife in attendance is scientifically proven to have outcomes equal to or better than hospital birth with fewer interventions and higher levels of satisfaction;

Resolved, that the undersigned concerned citizens object to any legislation, either at the state or national level, which restricts a woman's right to choose her place to give birth, including her right to choose to birth at home.

Special Screening: The Business of Being Born

Thursday, May 29, go to the movies ... at Blooma!

Last November, women and their families packed the Oak Street Theater in Dinkytown to watch Ricki Lake's documentary about birth. This month, we are thrilled to offer a special follow-up screening of "The Business of Being Born." Join us at 7pm, Thursday, May 29, to watch the flick among friends in Blooma's cozy studio. We'll provide light refreshments and some comfy pillows, yoga mats, birthing balls--and even some chairs! :-) Suggested donation: $5.

A word about the documentary, from the filmmakers:

"Birth is a miracle, a rite of passage, a natural part of life. But birth is also big business. Compelled to explore the subject after the delivery of her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to question the way American women have babies.

The film interlaces intimate birth stories with surprising historical, political and scientific insights and shocking statistics about the current maternity care system. When director Epstein discovers she is pregnant during the making of the film, the journey becomes even more personal.

[The film asks]: Should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potentially catastrophic medical emergency?"

Our Blooma bias? Well, of course we love love love the movie ... but we do wish there were a few more positive examples of hospital-based midwifery programs, such as those found through Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital, Hennepin County Medical Center, and St. Joseph's Hospital.